Romano Powers Lady Rams to Key CACC Win at Chestnut Hill
Sophomore center Jessica Romano (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) registered her lucky 13th double-double of the year, pouring in a team-high 20 points and pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds to lead Philadelphia University to an 80-56 victory at nearby Chestnut Hill College in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) women's basketball action. It was the second win on the season for Head Coach Tom Shirley's Lady Rams over the Griffins, newcomers to the CACC this year.
The win improves the Lady Rams' record to 14-8 for the season and 7-6 in CACC play, as Philadelphia University continues its quest for a conference tournament berth among a tight group of four teams behind first-place Holy Family in the South Division. Chestnut Hill falls to 3-19, 2-10 in conference, in their first year competing in NCAA Division II.
Romano led a quintet of Philadelphia University players into double-digit scoring, as freshman point guard Stephanie Agger (North Cape May, N.J./Lower Cape May Regional) contributed 12 points off the bench in her return to action after missing the past two contests while recovering from an injury sustained at Wilmington on Feb. 2. Junior guard Amanda Brennan (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) recorded 10 points off the bench, matching her sister, sophomore forward Kate Brennan (Stratford, N.J./Sterling), as well as senior forward Ashley Webster (Philadelphia, Pa./Cheltenham) who lit up the rest of the stat sheet with eight rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocked shots.
With her bundle of takeaways this evening, Webster now has 212 for her career, which vaults her into fourth place in all-time steals in the history of the Philadelphia University women's basketball program, surpassing two Athletic Hall of Fame members--Darlene Hildebrand '95 (206) and Vincene Morris '86 (209). With four more steals, Webster will overtake Terry Troy '86 for third place.
Other notables for the Lady Rams in tonight's game at Chestnut Hill included sophomore guard Taylor Magnus (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) earning her first career starting assignment, scoring five points and dealing three assists. Also, sophomore point guard Nina Brascetta (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) made her third straight start, responding with eight points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Griffins were led by a career-high 21 points from freshman guard Jessica Pruiti (Old Bridge, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick), while senior forward Tara Walsh (Woodbine, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) was the only other Griffin to reach double digits, totaling 11 points and posting four blocks. Sophomore forward Jenna Beck (Philadelphia, Pa./Little Flower) collected 11 rebounds to lead Chestnut Hill on the glass.
The game opened up at a brisk pace, tied 5-5 after just two minutes of play. But a Brascetta jumper would cap off a 9-0 run that game the Lady Rams a lead that the Griffins would not overcome. Agger scored a layup at the first-half buzzer to give Philadelphia a 35-22 advantage heading into the locker room for the break. The lead extended beyond 20 for the first time when Amanda Brennan nailed a three-pointer with 7:37 left to play to put the Lady Rams ahead 64-42. Reserve guard Martha Lupinski (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial) closed out the Philadelphia University scoring with a three-point field goal and a layup in the closing minute as the Lady Rams met the 80-point barrier for the fifth time this season, victors in all five such contests.
Next up for Coach Shirley's squad will be the front end of the women's/men's doubleheader at The Gallagher Center this Saturday, Feb. 16 for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off with the Golden Falcons of Felician College.
If you can't make it to the arena on campus for home games, you now have three digital methods to follow the Rams and Lady Rams on the Division II hardwood:
- Log onto the new live stats service
- Listen to live audio play-by-play on Teamline
- Watch pay-per-view video via Penn Atlantic at CACC.tv. **also available for most away games**
